“Philomena” (2013, Anchor Bay, PG-13, $30) is one of those quiet stunners that sneaks up and floors you.

Judi Dench stars as a widow who teams up with a BBC reporter (Steve Coogan) to discover what happened to the son she was forced to give up for adoption decades earlier. Riveting in its restraint, “Philomena” is a bittersweet road movie, a humorous portrait of a burgeoning friendship and, most importantly, a lovely ode to forgiveness.

It deserved every one of its four Oscar nominations, especially Best Picture and Best Actress. Extras: featurettes and commentary by Coogan.

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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013, Fox, PG, $30) Inspired by a 1939 James Thurber short story and a 1947 film starring Danny Kaye, the latest from Ben Stiller centers on a Life magazine photo editor who takes regular mental vacations to escape his ho-hum existence. But when Walter and his office crush (Kristen Wiig) are in danger of losing their jobs, he has to break out of his rut and track down a famous photographer (Sean Penn). Walter’s fantasies are engrossing but it’s Stiller’s poignant depiction of a middle aged man struggling to adapt to a changing world that gives the film its sting. Extras: deleted scenes, featurettes and music video.

Ride Along (2014, Universal, PG-13, $30) There’s no stopping Philly’s Kevin Hart. After scoring a huge hit with his concert film “Let Me Explain,” the funnyman racked up another box-office winner with this gag machine about a security guard (Hart) who’ll do anything to impress his fiancé’s policeman brother (Ice Cube), including going along with him on a patrol of Atlanta. “Ride Along” is a bit of a mishmash of “Rush Hour” and “48 HRS” and countless other buddy-cop movies but director Tim Story keeps it moving along at a good clip, successfully mixing and matching action sequences and funny business. Extras: featurettes, gag reel, deleted scenes and commentary by Story.

Better Living Through Chemistry (2014, Universal, R, $20) Imagine “The Postman Always Rings Twice” as a dark comedy and you have a good idea of what to expect from this clever feature written and directed by Demarest’s David Posamentier and Geoff Moore. Sam Rockwell stars as a small-town druggist who finds his uneventful life turned upside down by a lonely trophy wife (Olivia Wilde) eager to ditch her wealthy hubby (Newark’s Ray Liotta.) Posamentier and Moore elicit nifty turns from their cast members (including Jane Fonda) and give “Better Living” a jolting immediacy that continually throws you off balance. Extras: none.

Black Nativity (2013, Fox, PG, $30) Loosely based on Langston Hughes’ “gospel song-play” called “Wasn’t That a Mighty Day!,” this choppy musical is directed with so much gusto by Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”) that you can forgive it a lot of its faults. Jacob Latimore stars as the teenaged Langston, who is sent to New York by his about-to-be-evicted mother (Jennifer Hudson) to spend Christmas with his church-running-grandparents (Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett). The highlight of the Reverend’s year – and the highpoint of the movie – is a lavish Nativity pageant. Despite some glitches, Lemmons does Hughes proud. Extras: deleted scenes and featurettes.

The Punk Singer (2013, IFC, unrated, $25) With refreshing candor, riot grrrl heroine Kathleen Hanna opens up about her journey from feminist poet to punk-singing powerhouse. There’s incendiary footage of Hanna onstage as the lead singer of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre as well as revealing interviews with Hanna’s contemporaries and collaborators, including Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and Joan Jett. The film takes a sad turn during its third act when Hanna discusses her 2005 retirement. But thanks to a comeback concert, “Punk Singer” manages to end on a triumphant note. Extras: deleted scenes and featurettes.

Fargo (1996, Fox, R, $20) Newly remastered for its latest Blu-ray edition, the Coen Brothers classic has never looked better, particularly the haunting scenes of snowy nothingness. Those images seem to mirror the moral white-outs of a trio of slimeballs (William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare) responsible for a kidnapping and a series of murders. Tasked with solving the crimes is Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), a pregnant cop who initially seems too trusting to be effective. But looks can be deceiving. Is “Fargo” worth buying yet again on Blu-ray? You betcha. Extras: featurettes and commentaries.

The Burglar (1957, Sony Choice, unrated, $25) With its intense dream sequences, sweaty close-ups and knack for upending expectations, this 1957 crime thriller – which was shot in Philadelphia - ranks as one of the oddest and most arresting entries in the film noir genre. It’s no wonder Martin Scorsese is such a big fan. Dan Duryea stars as the title character, a sensitive thief who heists a diamond necklace with the help of his sister (Jayne Mansfield) and squirrelly accomplices. The stolen jewelry leads to nothing but trouble for Duryea and company who spend the rest of the movie running from the cops, outwitting a rival gang of thieves and arguing among themselves. Extras: none.

Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940, Warner Archive, unrated, $25) The only collaboration between Fred Astaire and dance legend Eleanor Powell is a sly charmer that overflows with infectious Cole Porter songs, stunning musical numbers and easy humor. The plot involves Fred’s buddy (George Murphy) getting a big break on Broadway before Fred. Powell figures out who has the real talent just in time to join Astaire for a beguiling tap dance through “Begin the Beguine.” When Frank Sinatra introduced the sequence in “That’s Entertainment,” he quipped “you can wait around and hope but you’ll never see the likes of this again.” Amen to that. Extras: featurette.

Conrack (1974, Twilight Time, PG, $30) In between starring in “Midnight Cowboy” and “Coming Home,” Jon Voight toplined this vibrant adaptation of Pat Conroy’s memoir about his stint as a teacher on a remote island off the coast of South Carolina. Much of the film consists of Conroy schooling his young charges in the joys of poetry and classical music. Blessed with a tough ending that successfully skirts sentimentality, “Conrack” – now on Blu-ray – nails the way that a teacher can save his or her students’ lives. Extras: commentary by film historians.

Meet Him and Die (1976, Raro, unrated, $30) Italian police thrillers from the 1970s - or poliziotteschi, as they’re referred to by fans - often make up in visual panache what they lack in solid storytelling. Such is the case with this flashy actioner about a cop (Ray Lovelock) who gets arrested so he can befriend an imprisoned mob boss (Martin Balsam) and infiltrate his organization. “Meet Him and Die” isn’t big on plausibility but director Franco Prosperi knows how to stage an action scene for maximum impact. Extras: video intro.

Flowers In The Attic (2014, Lionsgate, unrated, $15) With themes that include incest, sado-masochism and torture, this isn’t your typical Lifetime TV movie. Adapted from V.C. Andrews’ best-seller, the creepy film pivots on four siblings, led by Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”) and Mason Dye, who are forced to live in an attic by their cruel grandmother (Ellen Burstyn) and selfish mother (Heather Graham). It might be tawdry and absurd but “Flowers” grows on you thanks its hothouse atmosphere and ferocious verbal duels between Shipka and Burstyn. Extras: featurette.

The Making Of A Woman (2014, PBS, unrated, $25) Based on a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this engrossing thriller focuses on a penniless secretary named Emily (Lydia Wilson) who is rescued from poverty by Lord James Walderhurst (Linus Roache). Emily’s ascendance doesn’t sit well with Walderhurst’s devious nephew (James D’Arcy) who has a few nasty tricks up his sleeve. Directed with gothic gusto by Richard Curson Smith, “Making of a Woman” is proof that you don’t need ghouls or goblins to tighten the screws of suspense. Extras: none.

Lizzie Borden Took An Ax (2014, Sony, unrated, $23) Borrowing heavily from the far superior “Legend of Lizzie Borden” (1975) starring Elizabeth Montgomery, helmer Nick Gomez (“Laws of Gravity”) takes a whack at the story of the1892 murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. In this version, as in the Montgomery one, Lizzie (Christina Ricci) strips off her clothes before dispatching her parents with a hatchet. Ricci and company do their best to bring their characters to life but they’re continually undercut by a jarring rock score and editing choices that needlessly jumble the chronology of the case. Extras: none.